New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-31
4 YE4R,N DiSASTERS.

YE1HS DISASTERS.
The wear ending to-day has been remarkable
alike for the number and variety Of The oalaml-
ties which have been recorded in every quarter
Of the world. Before the agencies of cleo
tricy and the public press were multiplied
information Of sudden catastrophcs was con-
fined mainly to the localities where they oc-
Cured. Now bad news travels across seas
moro rapidly than the sun and every nows-
napcr reader knows at the breallfast-tablc alb
the disasters and calamitics Of the previous
day. II is doubtful. however, If any pcrma-
ncnt impression is left upon the public mind
Nv these daily rccitals Of the vcisstudcs Of
human fortune on land and sea. So accustomed
docs the eve become to headlines announcing
loss of life by fire, tempest, shipwrcck pcSti-
lcncc. inundaton and earthquake, that these
daily chronicles Of disaster at last excite hardly
moro emotion than tables Of mortality statis-
ties. Probably few even Of the most ntelll-
Gent newspaper readers are aware that the
closing year has been almost uncXamplcd IN
recent times in It's record of catastrophcs
Cholera has made terrible Evagcs in the
northwest provinces Of India and IN oiher
Asiatic hives Of population. In the district
Of which Simla is the centre 10000 deaths
were reported III n single month and the NOR
tality has been excessive in the surrounding
provinces. In Southern Italy and in many
Mediterranean ports the same scourgc has pre-
vailed. 1000 people dying in AIcssina alone.
The earthquake shocks Of February extending
from Nice and Cannes to Greece and Bulgaria,
and similar yistations subsequently IN 1ulkcS-
tan and Mexico. caused a great loss OF HE
and property. One thousand lives are reported
to havc been lost by the burning Of liankow'
China. while by the overflow Of the lioang-iio
and other rivers an enormous population has
been made homeless with heavy mortality in
addition. There have been most destructive
tcmpcsts on sea and land. In Australian
waters during May 800 pearl fishermen were
drowned in the Red Sea "A steamer with 100
pigIims on board foundcrcd in a cyclone dur
me the summer; the Gloucester tShlng-icct
81 800 men in storms Of unwontcd severity;
q Il every sea has been Strcwn with wrecks.
Three hundred persons were drowned by tho
upscttinp Of a fcrr, boat on the Danube. ana
there has been an unusual number Of marine
disasters the loss Of the Scholtcn with l32
i've, in the Straits Of Dover. and the sinking
If the Benton of the coast Of fOrmoSa with
a loss Of 50 lives and Of the Baha with 40
lives. being conspicuous in this group oil
c;ilmilics
pauics in theatres have been unuSwlly ire
oucnt and fatal. Vt the opening Of the year
hundred, of spectators were tramp.cd to death
nj a rcopic's fair IN Madras. In May the Opera
Comiquc. Paris. Wa, burned with ncaly hun
bred victims AZ Nc>chin the collapse Of
,ircu, building involved the loss Of over 300
lives. and in september ut Exeter England.
~ person. persisted IN burning theatre. By
the di,9strou, fire ut Nitcb>t, Russia. 1000
pcori. were lcn homeless and hundreds per-
i>hcd At Bautyrc IN May 2OJ lives were
lost by a collcry explosion ard many similar
Disaster, have occurred III mining regions.
The record II railway accidents has been an
appaung one Thin. Wood,t"ck bridge,
Chatworih Ro>lindalc. being a few among the
many tragic scenes attributable to human nccIl-
rcnco or want # forcthousht ON the part Of
corporations Almost the only conSoatory
reflection that can be- based upon tins mcian-
choly exhibit Is grounded upon lcGi~iativ"
measures taken in various European countries
to secure tho SAFETY Of audiences ~ theatres
and upon the action Il the Massachusetts, Eal-
road Commissioner, and other bodies IN pro-
hibiting the heating Of car, oy stoves. Places
II amusement will be- rendered safer in france.
ENGLAND and Italy in consequence of the thea
tIc horrors az the year, and IN America the
car-~tovc is doomed. steam having been suc-
cc,sfully introduced aS substitute for heating
,.ll~.